Signaling system



. July 15,1930. A. H. CROSS ET AL 1,770,510

STGNALING SYSTEM Filed May 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 15 1930; A. H. CROSS El Al. 1,770,510

SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed May 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Ta Conflict 35 Area 3 Patented July 15, 1930 ALBERT H. CROSS, OF BOSTGN, MASSAGHUSETTS, ANDCLARENCE E. BEACH, 0E BING- HAMTON, NEXV YORK, ASSIGEORS TO THE GAME'WELL COMPANY, OF NEFWTOLIT UPPER FALLS, MASEIACHUSETTS; A CORPORATIGN OF MASSACHUSETTS SIGNALING SYSTEM Application filed May 26, 1925, Serial No. 33,016

This invention relates to signaling systems, and is particularly suited for utilization in emergency signaling systems having signal initiating stations together with two classes of signal responsive devices, of which all of the devices of one of the classes are normally responsive to all such stations and those of he. other class are normally responsive, individually or in predetermined gr ups, to respectively associated groups or me ivioual ones of such initiatin stations.

F ire alarm systems or certain large institutions are examples of emergency signaling systems in which this invention may be advantageouslyutilized, as such systems ordinarily include so-called fire alarm boxes which are distributed throughout each of the various areas to be protected, together h two classes of alarm receiving instruments which are responsive to alarms from such fire alarm boxes; the receiving instr ments or" one of such classes being relied upon for summoning designated persons for the purpose of combating the lire (as, for example,

the members of a fire brigade) and the receiving instruments of the other of such classes being relied upon for warning occupants to leave the building To these ends, the alarm receiving instruments of the first amed one of such classes are situated where they will be best available "for summoning such persons without needlessly alarming other occupants, and the receiving instru ments of the other of such classes are usually located and arranged with a view or giving Warning to all occupants throughout the institution. Many such systems protect prop erty which includes a number of detached buildings so situated that a fire in one is unlikely to involve others or of a building or buildings so constructed and arranged that a fire in one so-called fire-section or upon one floor of a building is unlikely to involve other sections or other floors of that building. In other words, such systems protect property comprising a plurality of so-called fire zones each of which is considered, for certain practical purposes, to be independent of the other or others.

ln signaling systems employed for the protection of institutions which are so subdivided, it is ofttimes important not to initially disturb occupants or zones other than that from which an alarm originates. For example, in an institution the inmates of which are physically incapacitated or are under restraint, it is usually impracticable to provide a sullicient number of nurses, attendants or guards to attend to the simultaneous evacuation of the entire institution, and it losses incidental to emergency evacuation may be eliminated by restricting the alarm to general occupants (as distinguished from that for members of the tire brigade) to the zone of alarm origination. For the foregoing reasons, it is desirable that alarm receiv ing instruments of the second named class should be so associated with the lire alarm boxes that, upon the operation of any fire alarm box, only the receiving instruments of such class which are situated in the same zone as the box operated will ordinarily act in response to such bori. On the other hand, it is desirable that the emergency signaling systems for such institutions be so arranged that the local receiving instruments in several or all of the various zones may be connected in a single circuit, to the end that multiplicity of wiring circuits and current supply mechanism may be avoided, and that simple and efi'ective means may be utilized for indicating, at a central point, any dcrange ment of the circuits of either class.

It is well reco 'nized that emergency signaling systems, the dependability of the significant functioning of which is vital to the protection of persons in time of impending danger, should be so arranged that when called upon to effect their supremely significant functions their circuits will be conditioned, while they are so doing, in a manner most conductive to efficient and dependable results; and that normal or routine tests shall be conducted under conditions which, in so far as they differ from those of the su )remely significant signals, will be less favorable to successful operation, thereby showing the presence of a certain factor of safety. Thus 1n prior art systems such, for example, as those disclosed by Patent No. 1,078,985, issued to C. E. Beach and dated November 18th, 1913, and Patent N 0. 1,1323%, issued to N. H. Suren and dated March 16th, 1915, the circuits and apparatus arrangement is such that the supremely significant fire alarm signal will be formulated by breaks and closures of the circuit, the current flow being com letely interrupted at every break and esta lished at miximum value for every closure; but for routine tests to prove the operability of the apparatus andincidentallyprovide a drill signal for the occupants (if the premises happen to be occupied at the time of test) a less eflective circuit condition is employed in which the responsive instruments under test are partially shunted out so that the test signal circuit closure through them will be at less than full normal current value. It is obvious that if the responsive instruments operated correctly upon circuit closures at such reduced current strengths, their operation would be assured with a substantial factor of safety upon closures of a full normal signaling strength.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide a signaling system comprising a plurality of initiating stations, signal responsive mechanism so associated with such stations that, under normal conditions, such receiving mechanism will be responsive to alarms of all of such stations; together with alarm manifesting means in each of a plurality of zones, the circuit connections of all of which instruments are under constant electrical test and which last named means are so associated with the initiating stations that, under normal conditions, the operation of any one of said stations will only cause response of the manifesting means in the zone of the station operated.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide such a signaling system'in which local receiving instruments in a plurality of zones may be connected in a single series circuit with but a single source of current supply, and to provide facilities so that although the operation of any given box will cause response of receiving devices in but one of such zones, this result will be so attained that circuit closures through the controlling magnets of such receiving instruments, incident to the manifestation of a signal in any one of such zones, will be of current st-regnth at least as great as that of the normal test current flow through such circuit or that employed for routine tests of the operability of such receiving devices.

It is a still further important object of this invention to provide a system such as that described in which the strength of the current flow during circuit closures incident to the formulation of signals will be in no wise impaired in the event of concurrent formulation of signals for response by receiving instruments in two or more zones.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, in a system such as that described, means whereby the response of receiving instruments of either or both classes may be selectively suppressed, for purposes of drills and tests.

It is desirable that, in some cases, such sig naling systems be so arranged that an authorized person may cause response of all receiving instruments to a given box, as at time of conflagration.

It is therefore a further purpose of this invention to provide a signaling system, of the character described, which may be readily adapted for adjustment to cause response of all receiving and manifesting devices of both closscs to any initiating station.

Other objects are to provide a system of the character described which is capable of response to signaling impulses formulated in rapid succession, which may be simply and inexpensively installed, and which is capable of being maintained in a condition of highly reliable operability by persons without spe' cial experience or training in the maintenance of emergency signaling systems and even by those without greater knowledge of electrical matters than is necessary for the operation and maintenance of other electrical .systems and apparatus within the institution protected.

Still other objects will be in part apparent and in part hereinailil'er more specifically pointed out.

lVith the aforesaid objects in. view, the in vention consists of the novel combinations and arrangements of pants hereinafter described in preferred embodiments thereof, pointed out in the annexed claims, and illustrated in the accompzuiying drawings. where in like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a schematic representation, partly in diagram, of an embodiment of this invention which is suitable for use under various practical conditions;

Fig. 2 is a similar representation of a modification of the system-i of Fig. 1 which is suited for use in lieu of the system of Fig. 1 under certain conditions; and

Fig. 3 is a detail to be referred to.

Referring to Fig. 1, the initiating station A is provided with a .-:uitably operated code wheel 21, and a signaling lever to which the spring 23 is so applied as to urge movement thereott toward said code wheel for the purpose of causing cooperation therewith in a well known manner to thereby suitably actuate two sets of signaling contacts which will be presently described in greater detail. A well known type of non-interference mechanism is provided, comprising the electromagnet 2%, its armature 25, controlling lever 26 and re'tractile spring 2?. The lower end of the controlling lever is arranged for cooperation with the free end of the s g naling lever 22 in a well known manner.

The signaling lever 22 carries insulating spacers 31 and 32, and the set oit contacts comprising the contact members and are so mounted with relation to th spacer 31 that, when the signaling lever 22 is in its normally raised position (as when supported by any one of the teeth of the code wheel 21) said spacer 81 will hold said member in engagement with said member The member 33 is so formed as to constantly tend to move out of engagement with the member The contact member 55 is situated in the path of the spacer 32, for actuation thereby whenever the signaling lever is moved downwardly in response to the spring 23 at a time when a tooth of the code wheel 2i has been withdrawn from the path of said lever. The contact member 36 is mounted in the path or" the member 35 for engagement and actuation thereby in response to the mov ment of the signaling lever 22. The contact member 3'? is situated in the path of the contact member 36, and said member 3 3 is so formed as to tend to engage said member 3? and to he moved out of engagement therewith in response to actuation of the signal ng lever 22. The operative relationship between the of contact members 36 and 3'? will be most readily understood by reien ence to the diagrammatic representations of the corresponding contactsot stations Z), 0 and (Z.

In the lower part of station r is provided a normally closed circuit signal key 38, together with switching means for varying the effectiveness of the foregoing contact members. Said switching means comprises memhers as follows: The line terminal plates all and and the ground terminal plate 43 are so formed and arranged as to provide the openlngs il i, 45 and to tor receiving connecting plug whereby these line terminals may be interconnected or either line terminal connected to the ground, in accordance with practices well understood by those skilled in this art; the switching plates at? and 48 are so mounted as to provide an opening 4:9 for receiving a plug, so that an interconnection may be established between these plates for purposes to be hereinafter explained; the terminal plates 50'and 51 are so formed and arrange'das to provide an opening 52 therebetween for like purposes; and the terminal plate 53 and the switching plate are so formed and arranged as to receive therebetween a plug 55 which is normally so positioned as to interconnect said plates.

The conductors 61 and 32 conn' ct the ten lninal plate 41 with the contact member 33, and the conductor 63 extends from the junction between the conductors and 62 to the switching plate et'l', the conductor connects the contact member with the switching plate %8, and the conductor connects said contact member 3a to one end or the winding of the ele'ctromagnet 2%, the other end of the winding oi the electromagnet is connected through the conductor to the contact oi the lrej 3S, and the pivot of said hey is connected through the conductor 6? to the terminal plate The conductor 68 connects the switching plate to the co t member and the conductors 6'9 and :0

connect the terminal plates 50 and 51 t the are located in area marked Area 2, and

station (5 is located in an area iarlied .9 3. A local signal device is indicated Area 1, a corresponding local signal device F is indicated in Area 2, and the local sm 1 devices G and H are located in Area ill be hereinafter more fully explained, the signal device E is normally r sponsive only to station A, the device F is responsire to either station 15 or station a, and the devices G and are responsive to station (Z while a main signal device J is arranged for response to the stations A, Z), c and (Z.

As shown, what will be termed a main circuit extends from one side of the current source K through the main signal device J thence to terminal plate ll of station A, through conductors 61 and 62, contacts 38 and 3a, through conductor 65, winding of magnet 24, conductor 66, key 38 and conductor 67 to the other terminal. plate 42 of station A; thence correspondingly through magnets 2st and contacts 3% and 33 of stations 0, 7) and (Z and the electromagnet of so-called trouble relay m which is arranged to control the trouble hell 0 in a well known manner. A second circuit is provided for the local signaling devices E, F, G and H, which circuit will be hereinafter referred to as a local circuit, and includes the current source L and the winding of the electromagnet of a trouble relay L ranged to control the trouble hell 0 in common with the relay m.

it normal current path through the local circuit of the system of Fig. 1 is as follows: from one terminal of source L, through conductor 71, to and through terminal plate 53 n which is ar of station A, through conductors 72 to and through local signal device E, thence through conductor 73, terminal plate 50, conductor 69, contact members 37 and 36, and conductor 70, to terminal plate 51 of said station; thence through conductor 74, terminal plate 53 of station I), conductor 75, terminal plate 53 of station 0, and conductor 76, to and through device F; thence through conductor 77, terminal plate 50, contact members 37 and 36, and terminal plate 51 of station I), to and through conductor 78, to and correspondingly through terminal plate 50, contact members 37 and 36 and terminal plate 51 of station a; thence through conductor 79 and terminal plate 53 of station d, through conductor 80, to and through device G, thence through conductor 81, to and through device H, thence through conductor 82 and through terminal plates 50 and 51 and contact members 37 and 36 of station (1, through conductor 83, winding of relay p and conductor 84 to the other terminal of source L.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the electromagnet of the devices E, F, G and H and the relay 7) are normally energized; and that an break of the local circuit in or between sai devices or in the signal station A, b, c or d will cause deenergization of the magnet of relay p which will, in turn, cause the trouble hell 0 to sound.

The operation of the signaling system of Fig. 1 is as follows:

Terminal plate 53 and switch plate 54 of the stations A, b, c, and d are normally connected by the plugs 55 positioned in the openings therebetween. Assuming now that the code wheel of station A is rotated, when the first tooth of said wheel is withdrawn from the path of the signaling lever 22, the spring 23 will so move said lever 22 as to withdraw the spacer 31 from the support of the contact member 33, thus permitting said member to move away from the member 34 and thereby open the main circuit and cause response of the main signal device J. Such movement of the lever 22 will also cause the spacer 32 to move the contact member 35 into engagement with the contact member 36, and thereby move the latter member out of engagement with the contact member 37. \Vhen the contact member 35 is thus moved into engagement with the contact member 36, a shunt will be established around the local signal device E through plate 53, plug 55, plate 54, conductor 68, members 35 and 36, and conductor and when said contact member 36 is moved out of engagement with the contact member 37, the current path through said device E will be interrupted. Thereafter, when the lever 22 is raised by the next tooth of the code wheel 21, the contact 33 will be moved into engagement with the contact 34, thus restoring current flow in the main signal circuit, and the contact member 36 will be permitted to move into engagement with the contact member 37, after which the contact member 35 will move out of engagement with said member 36, thereby restoring current flow through the local signal device E. The foregoing cycle of operation will be repeated by the various teeth of the code wheel 21, during the rotation of said wheel, so that the signal characterizing said wheel will be manifested by the main signal device J and by the local signal device E.

From the foregoing it will be observed that energizing current for the local signal device E will always be at the full normal strength of the local circuit, and that the current flow through said device will be fully interrupted during each cycle of the operation of the signaling lever 22, thus assuring maximum effectiveness in the operation of said device, and permitting the formulation of signaling impulses with much greater rapidity than would produce dependable response of such a signaling device if the current path therethrough was merely shortcircuited but not interrupted.

It will be noted that, whenever the local signal device E is shortcircuited, as just described, the current flow in the local circuit will be somewhat increased, so that if the operating conditions are such that such increase would otherwise be obj ectionably great incident to the operation of any initiating station or stations, a suitable resistance 56 (see Fig. 3) should be included in the conductor 68, to suitably limit the increase in current flow in said local circuit due to signaling impulses.

If it is desired to operate the mechanism of station A mechanically, without causing response of either the main signal device J or the local signal device E, the plug 55 should be withdrawn from its normal position between plates and 54, and should be inserted in the opening 46, between plates 41 and 42; thereby causing deenergization of the non interference electromagnet 24, which will result in retraction of the armature 25 and re sultant locking of the signaling lever 22, to prevent effective movement thereof incident to rotation of the code wheel 21.

If it is desired to cause local signal device E to operate without causing response of the main signal device J, a plug, similar to the plug 55, should be placed in the opening 49 between the plates 47 and 48, thus shortcircuiting the contact members 33 and 34 while maintaining energization of the noninterference magnet 24; whereupon, rotation of the code wheel 21 will cause response of the device E, without interrupting the main circuit.

If it is desired to cause the local signal devices E, F, G and H to operate in response tlk to rotation of the code wheel 21, the plug should be removed from its normal position between the plates 53 and 54; whereupon the shunt current path through contact member 35 will be interrupted, so that each time contact member moved out of engagement with Contact member 37 the local circuit will be interrupted.

If it is desired to transmit a signal from station A over the main circuit, without cau ing response of any of the local signal devices,the plug 55 should be removed from its normal position between plates 53 and 54, and should be inserted in the opening 52 between plates 50 and 51. While the plug is thus positioned, the local signal device E will not be shunted out when contact member 35 engages contact member 36, because the current path to said member 35 will have been interrupted by the withdrawal of the plug from its normal position between plates 53 and 54, and a current path will be established through said plug between plates 50 and 51 which will short-circuit the break otherwise produced by the separation of contact member 36 from member 37.

It will be understood by those skilled in this art that the non-interference mechanism of station A will function in well known manner, so that if the code wheel of said station is rotated at a time when a signal is in course of transmission over the main circuit from some other signal station, the armature 25 will be moved away from the magnet 24 by the pull of the spring 27, thereby carrying the free end of the controlling lever 26 into the path of the free end of the signaling lever 22 and preventing movement of said signal ing lever in response to the spring 23 when the teeth of the code wheel 21 are withdrawn from the support thereof. It will further be seen that the local signal device F will act in response to either station 5 or station 0, in a manner corresponding to that hereinbefore more fully described in reference to station A, and that both the local signal devices G and H will correspondingly act in response to the station Z). From the foregoing it will also be apparent that the number of signal initiating stations and the number of local signal devices provided in any zone may be suitably varied to provide proper protection for the area covered thereby.

Where the operating conditions are such that itis unnecessary to interrupt the current path through the local signal devices, in order to insure dependable response thereof at the speet of intended signal formulation, the system may be arranged as shown by Fig. 2, in which the contact members 37 are omitted at the various signaling stations, con1- plete reliance being then placed opon the short-circuiting of the local signal devices to cause response thereof.

It is believed that, in the light of the foreelectromagnet responsive to said in going explanation, the arrangement and op eration of the signaling system of Fig. 2 will be well understood by those skilled in this art without further explanation herein.

Gther matters of combination, arrangeof which sets of contacts is normally open, and a third of which sets of contacts is normally closed and operable such timed rela tion to the operation of said normally open contacts as to be opened incident to and r ing closure of said normally open cont-acts; non-interference mechanism includ ng an i circuit; and switching means comprising a plurality of members certain of whichcontrol the effectiveness of said first named set of contacts without affecting the responsiveness of said magnet to said main circ s which members are serially connected in a portion of said local circuit situated at one side of an associated one or more 0 'd local signal devices and involve means for facilitating the establishment of an interconnection therebetween, said other members connected to respective ones of normally closedcontacts, another of which members is serially included in a portion of said local circuit situated at the other side of sr h associated. one or more local signal devices. and still another of which members is ciated with said serially includ in to facilitate the establis ment 0y i nection therebetween; said v -y open contacts being serially connected between said last named member and the one f second named members situated in said local circuit farthest from said associated one or more local signal devices 2. In a signaling system having a main circuit including a main, si n de'v nd a normally closed local circuit inclu l g local signal 'devices,a plurality of s ations h ing signal formulati c means compr a code wheel and sets of contacts operable by said code wheel, one of which sets of contacts is associated with said main circi or the formulation of signaling impulses therein, another of which sets of contacts is normally a main open, and a third of which sets of contacts is normally closed and operable in such timed relation to the operation of said normally ,open contacts as to be opened incident to 5 and during closure of s: id normally open contacts; non-interference mechanism including an electromagnet responsive to said main circuit; and switching means com irising a plurality of members certain of which control the effectiveness of said first named set of contacts without affecting he responsiveness of said magnet to said main circuit, other of which members are serially c011- nected in a portion of said local circuit situated at one side of an associated one or more of said local signal devices and involy e means for facilitating the establishment of an interconnection therebetween, said other members connected to respective ones of said normally closed contacts, and other of which members are so associated as to facilitate the establishment of an interconnection therebetween; a portion of said local circuit situated at the other side of such associated one or more local signal devices being connected to one of said last named members and said normally open contacts being serially connected through a resistor between the other one of said last named members and the one of said second named members situated in said local circuit farthest from said associated one or more local signal devices.

3. In a signaling system having a main circuit including a main signal device and a normally closed local circuit including local signal devices,-a plurality of stations each having signal formulating means comprising a code wheel and sets of contacts operable by said wheel, one of which sets of contacts is associated with said main circuit for the formulation of signaling impulses therein, an-

other of which sets of contacts is normally open,'and a third of which sets of contacts is normally closed and operable in such timed relation to the operation of said normally open contacts as to be opened incident to and during closure of said normally open contacts; non-interference mechanism including an electromagnet responsive to said main circuit; and switching means comprising a plurality of members certain of which control the effectiveness of said first named set of contacts without affecting the responsiveness of said magnet to said main circuit, other of which members are serially connected in a portion of said local circuit situated at one side of an associated one or more of said local signal devices and involve means for facilitating the establishment of an interconnection therebetween, said other of said members connected to respective ones of said normally closed contacts, and other of which members are so associated as to facilitate the establishment of an interconnec- "q tion therebetween; a portion of said local set:-

circuit situated at the other side of such associated one or more local signal devices being connected to one of said last named members and said normally open contacts being serially connected between the other one of said last named members and the one of said second named members situated in said local circuit farthest from said associated one or more local signal devices.

4. In a signaling system having a normally closed circuit including local signal devices,--a plurality of stations each having signal formulating means comprising a code wheel, contacts arranged for actuation b said code, wheel and means whereby eac functional actuation of said contacts will establish a shunt around a portion of said circuit including an associated one or more of said signaling devices and break such circuit portion during the effectiveness of said shunt, and switching means comprising a plurality of members involving means for variously controlling such shunting and breaking of said local circuit.

5. In a signaling system having a normally closed circuit including local signal devices,a plurality of stations each having a resistor and signal formulating means comprising a code wheel, contacts arranged for actuation by said code wheel and means whereby each functional actuation of said contacts will establish a shunt through said resistor around a portion of said circuit including an associated one or more of said signal devices and break such circuit portion during the effectiveness of said shunt.

6. In a signaling system having a normally closed circuit including local signal devices,a plurality of stations each having a signal formulating means comprising a code wheel, contacts arranged for actuation b said code wheel and means whereby eac functional actuation of said contacts will establish a shunt around a portion of said circuit including an associated one or more of said signal devices and break such circuit portion during the effectiveness of said shunt, and means to variously control the responsiveness of said circuit to said formulating means.

7. In a signaling system having a normally closed circuit including local signal devices,a plurality of stations each having signal formulating means comprising a code wheel, contacts arranged for actuation by said wheel, and means whereby each functional actuation of said contacts will establish a shunt around a portion of said circuit including an associated one or more of said signal devices and break such circuit portion during the effectiveness of said shunt.

8. In a signaling system having a main circuit including a main signal device and a normally closed local circuit including local si na l devices,a plurality of stations (me having si nal formulating means comprising a code wheel and sets of contacts operable by said wheel one of which sets of contacts is connected with said main circuit for the formulation of signaling impulses therein and anotl er of which sets of contacts is normally open; non-interference mechanism including an electromagnet connected for response to said main circuit; means for controlling the efiectiveness of said first named set of contacts without affecting the responsiveness of said magnet to said main circuit; and means comprising a plurality of members certain of which are serially connected in portions f said local circuit situated at respective sides of an associated one or more of said local signal devices, and another of which members is so associated with one of said serially connected members as to facilitate the establishment of an interconnection therebetween; said normally open contacts being serially connected between said last named member and the other of said serially connected members.

9. In a signaling system having a main circuit including a main signal device and a normally closed local circuit including local signal devices,-a plurality of stations each having signal formulating means comprising a code wheel and sets of contacts operable by said wheel, one of which sets of contacts is connected with said main circuit for the formulation of signaling impulses therein and another of which sets of contacts is normally open; non-interference mechanism including an electromagnet connected for response to said main circuit; means for controlling the effectiveness of said first named set of contacts without aiijecting the responsiveness of said magnet to said main circuit; and means comprising a plurality of members two of which are connected to portions of said local circuit situated at respective sides of an associated one or more of said local signal devices, and a third of which members is so associated with one of said two members as to facilitate the establishment of an interconnection therebetween; said normally open contacts being serially connected between said third member and the other one of said two members.

10. A signal transmitter having three line wire terminals, signal formulating means comprising a code wheeland contacts operable thereby together with means including electrical connections whereby the operation of said code wheel will cause the formulation of signaling impulses by alternately closing paths between said terminals by said contacts.

11. A signal transmitter having three line wire terminals, signal formulating means comprising a code wheel and contacts operable thereby together with means including electrical connections whereby the operation of said code wheel will cause the formulation 

